United Nations Secretary-General: “One Belt, One Road” brings important opportunities to the world

April 27, 2020 09:24:52 People's Daily Online - International Channel

People's Daily Online, United Nations, April 23 (Reporter Li Xiaohong and Yang Jun) "The 'Belt and Road' initiative has brought important opportunities to the world." United Nations Secretary-General Guterres said in an interview with reporters at the United Nations Headquarters in New York before leaving for a visit to China on the 23rd.

Against the background of the slowdown in global economic growth, the development of the United Nations is in urgent need of new momentum. "We still have a large financing gap to implement the Sustainable Development Goals, and we face challenges in fulfilling the commitments of the Paris Climate Agreement." Guterres believes that in this case, it is more important to strengthen international cooperation, and China's second "Belt and Road" International Cooperation Summit Forum provides just such a platform.

If you want to speed up development, taking the “Belt and Road” train is your first choice. Guterres said, "Investments in jointly building the 'Belt and Road' will bring huge opportunities for international economic cooperation."

Data show that from 2013 to 2018, Chinese companies made direct investments of more than US$90 billion in countries along the Belt and Road, signed "Belt and Road" cooperation documents with 126 countries and 29 international organizations, and created 82 overseas cooperation parks with countries along the route, creating nearly 300,000 local jobs. Guterres said that this development line not only meets the needs of China's economy, but also the needs of the international economy. It also reflects the important concept of promoting the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind. The “Belt and Road” construction promotes South-South cooperation and has launched multiple docking projects with the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation to “leave no one behind” in the pursuit of economic development.

"The joint construction of the 'Belt and Road' initiative is an important opportunity to promote the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda." Guterres said that China is sharing development opportunities through the "Belt and Road" initiative. More investment, more trade, and more growth will not only help developing countries reduce poverty, increase employment, and improve infrastructure, but also promote environmental construction and stable social development, thereby promoting the realization of sustainable development goals.

In his eyes, the joint construction of the “Belt and Road” initiative is also an important opportunity to realize the concept of green development. For example, China’s Juncao technology projects promoted in many countries along the “Belt and Road” have not only improved the development level of agriculture and animal husbandry in various countries, increased people’s income, but also significantly improved problems such as desertification and soil erosion. In the future, livelihood projects and green projects that can benefit local people more will become the focus of "Belt and Road" cooperation.

Riding on the "Belt and Road" construction train, countries around the world have gained momentum for development and broadened the road to prosperity. The core concepts of jointly building the "Belt and Road" initiative and extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits have been written into the outcome documents of important international mechanisms such as the United Nations, and have become an international consensus increasingly recognized by members of the international community.

"China gives priority to developing its relationship with the United Nations and maintains full cooperation with the United Nations in many fields." Guterres praised China's development achievements and outstanding contributions to the international community over the past 70 years. He said that China supports multilateralism and an open world economy, promotes the construction of the "Belt and Road", supports peacekeeping operations in various forms, and provides public goods for global governance, which reflects the positive actions and responsibilities of a responsible major country.

There is no shortage of various initiatives in the field of international development. The key lies in execution. Up to now, all the specific results reached at the first summit forum have been implemented, which has effectively promoted the joint construction of the "Belt and Road" to be deepened and consolidated. "Without peace, there will be no development, and without development, there will be no lasting peace." Guterres hopes that the second forum, which carries new hope for joint prosperity, can further gather consensus, dock cooperation, attach importance to diversified development, enhance cultural integration, and continue to write a new story of joint development of countries around the world.